Kern County Medication Errors Lawyer

Over the last couple of decades, there has been a significant amount of research into avoidable medication errors that happen in hospitals, nursing homes, and related outpatient settings. While we know that medication mistakes can affect patients of any age when they are seeking a medical diagnosis or treatment for a condition, it is critical to know that medication mistakes can occur in a wide range of settings — including in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in Kern County and throughout Southern California. What should you know about medication mistakes in skilled nursing facilities? A Kern County medication error attorneys can tell you more.

What is a medication mistake? In short, it is any error that occurs in connection with a patient’s medication: prescribing, filling, and administering.

Given that nursing home and assisted-living facility residents tend to be older adults who regularly take a significant number of medications related to aging and chronic illness, those residents can be at greater risk of certain kinds of medication mistakes — such as those resulting from medical records not being fully reviewed for harmful interactions. In addition, since many facilities are understaffed, the administration of certain drugs often happens quickly and without sufficient care. Regardless of the type of medication mistake that happens, a resident can suffer debilitating and permanent harm.

Whether a medication error involves an improperly prescribed medication by a physician or a nurse practitioner, an error in a pharmacist’s filling of a prescription, or a mistake in administering the medication to a nursing home resident, any of these mistakes that occur within a nursing home or assisted-living facility setting could mean that the facility is liable.

While any type of medication mistake is possible in a Kern County nursing home or assisted living facility and should be discussed with a lawyer, you should be aware that medication administration errors are especially common. According to the Patient Safety Network and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), staff members in nursing and assisted-living facilities may not have the proper training or may be part of an understaffed facility, so medication administration errors are somewhat common. Indeed, data from the AHRQ suggests that medication administration causes the highest rate of medication mistake-related errors in long-term care facilities.

Medication errors do not only happen in hospitals — they happen in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, too. When a medication mistake results in an injury at a nursing home or assisted living facility, it is essential to know that this kind of error may give rise to a legal claim. It is especially important to consider a lawsuit when a medication error results in severe harm to a patient or resident at a nursing home that results in costly medical bills, reduced quality of life, and sometimes even death. An experienced Kern County nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer can speak with you today about the details of your case and your options for moving forward with a claim. Contact the Southern California Nursing Home Law Group for more information about how we can assist you with a medication error claim.